


Tales from the Badger Den

by kesomon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts - Freeform, Hufflepuff Pride, M/M, Original Characters - Freeform, Slice of Life, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-02-03
Updated: 2012-02-03
Packaged: 2018-05-22 11:29:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6077670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kesomon/pseuds/kesomon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slices of life in the Hufflepuff den, surrounding original characters Shaletar Nickolas and Bobby Sutter. Set in the overall ambiguous Hogwarts universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sorting

**Author's Note:**

> These are a collection of short fictions featuring my Hogwarts OCs Shaletar Nickolas and/or Bobby Sutter. They are set in an ambiguous time period at Hogwarts, probably in some parallel universe in which no recognizable characters will appear. In this universe, some past events remain: for instance, Shaletar is the first werewolf student allowed since Remus Lupin was in attendance, and Harry Potter is still a recognizable household name. However, aside from location and informative details, not much in this AU Hogwarts is canon.
> 
> Chapters are posted out of order to the timeline and only as I am inspired to scribble down a plot bunny.

_1st Year (Shay)/2nd Year (Bobby) **  
**_

**Ooo-oOo-ooO**

"Nickolas, Shaletar."

Shaletar cringed slightly as the professor mangled his name and made his way forward through the dwindling cluster of first years.

"It's, um, it's Shal-eh-tar," he corrected her timidly. There were a few amused titters from the students nearest who had heard his mumble, and the young werewolf felt his cheeks flush as he took a seat on the stool. The professor gave no indication she had heard his quiet remark, and cheerily plopped the battered old hat over his head. It immediately slipped down over the 12-year-old's eyes, and Shaletar resisted the urge to correct its position. He was already embarrassed enough.

_Hmm, how curious. I don't think there's been a werewolf in Hogwarts since little Remus Lupin._

Shaletar's heart fluttered wildly in his chest as he stiffened in panic. No one was supposed to know that! Even though the laws had been lifted and his being there wasn't exactly a secret, he had still been coached by both his parents and the teachers he'd met to keep such information to himself.

_Relax, Mr. Nickolas. Our conversation is strictly between us. Though it is a shame I was unable to sort you at the proper age. Held you back a year, didn't they?_

The boy felt a wash of guilt followed by shame. It wasn't his fault he was a year older than his fellow first years. It was the Ministry's waffling over whether to allow him in, stalling preparations and dragging their feet about it all.

_No, no, of course not. I never get involved in politics, of course. You're here now, and that's all that matters. Now, hm... Where to put you? You've admirable qualities for all the houses, you know. It takes a brave person to withstand your condition month after month, and you've no shortage of courage. Maybe Gryffindor is the place for you._

Shaletar lifted a hand to push the hat out of his eyes slightly, searching the Great Hall with amber-colored eyes. _I'd like to be in Hufflepuff, please._ He didn't think he was brave enough for Gryffindor. Brave meant more than waiting out moonrise in a cage. Brave was for the adventurous sort, and he preferred a warm fire and a good book.

_Really?_ The voice of the hat seemed mildly surprised. _You'd fit right in to Ravenclaw, y'know. Plenty of book-lovers there. I know you were excited to come here and learn as much about magic as you could. Your parents were squibs, after all._

Ravenclaws were smart, but he didn't think he was that obsessed with learning. Nonfiction books made him sleepy. He liked to get his hands dirty, to figure out how stuff worked and not just read about it in a book. And he had trouble remembering things sometimes after the moon. No, Ravenclaw wasn't for him. He continued to search the room, skimming over the tables until he saw the familiar black and yellow. _Hufflepuff, please._

_Are you certain?_ The hat sounded sly. _Not many students are clever enough to demand a certain house. It's rather ambitious of you to try. Perhaps Slytherin would do you good._

Shaletar shook his head, making the hat flop over his eyes again. When he pushed it back up, he spotted who he had been looking for. From a sea of bumblebee colors, the long-haired American he had met on the train was seated at the end of the space reserved for the incoming first years. The second-year Bobby Sutter had been outgoing and amusing, and had laughed pleasantly when Shay had voiced his nervousness, soothing the new student's worries with adventurous tales of Bobby's own first year. It was hard for Shaletar to make friends, but with Bobby, he had felt almost instantly comfortable. The boy had felt like... pack.

_Hufflepuff._ He thought at the hat firmly. _I belong in Hufflepuff._

_You know, I rather think you're right, Mr. Nickolas,_ The hat said, amused and not a little bit prideful. _This devotion to your decisions is a rare and precious thing. I feel the world will admire the ones who earn such loyalty from you in future. Very well; let it be-_

"HUFFLEPUFF!"


	2. Elevatas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It occurred to me, while watching Goblet of Fire, that there must be some sort of secret or long-forgotten spell on some of the staircases or towers in Hogwarts that would allow a person to navigate up or down if they were otherwise incapacitated in their ability to use said stairs. Like Moody, climbing all those stairs with a pegleg.

_2nd Year (Shay)/ 3rd Year (Bobby)_

**Ooo-oOo-ooO**

"SHALETAR!"

The excited exclamation of his name drew quite a few startled and curious looks from the students milling about the Hogwarts halls. Shaletar paused in his limping stride to look as well, though he hardly needed to. He recognized that dry, Midwest American accent; it was probably the only one in all of magical Britain.

"Shay! Shay-shay-shay-shay-" Bobby bounded up, coltishly long stride making the long-haired 3rd year seem even more spastic as he latched onto his best friend's arm and began tugging him down the hall, a beaming grin on his face. "Shay, I figured it out, c'mon, I gotta show you!"

Shaletar stumbled, lamed leg struggling to keep up with his exuberant companion's eagerness, and barely managed to keep hold of his textbooks. A short, confused laugh escaped his throat as he tugged himself free of Bobby's grip. "Figured what out, Bobby?"

Bobby wasn't deterred, and immediately grabbed Shaletar's hand again. "I figured it out! Can't tell, gotta show! It's too awesome for words!"

Shay was starting to grin as well, the American's enthusiasm infectious, and let himself be pulled along further for a few more steps before his balance waned again. "Bobby, Bobby, hey! Will your amazing discovery still be there if we slow down a bit?"

Bobby turned, puzzlement crossing his expression. Shay raised an eyebrow and looked down at his leg. The brunette followed his gaze, and then his own eyebrows rose in remembrance, and he grinned again – this time, a bit sheepishly. "Yeah, it'll still be there. Sorry, I kinda forgot about...the other night."

The other night had been a full moon. Although the Wolfsbane potion kept Shaletar's mind clear, it didn't keep his body safe; in the throes of transformation, he'd clawed his leg to ribbons. The physical damage had been easily fixed, but such injuries always ached for days afterwards.

Shaletar smirked at his fellow Hufflepuff. "Yeah, man. I bet your Animagus form'll be a ferret. You're easily distracted by shiny objects." Bobby snorted and stuck out his tongue, grabbing the young werewolf's arm again and dragging him at a steadier pace down the hall. It took a few turns for Shay to realize where they were heading: the Defense Against the Dark Arts tower.

Bane of his existence.

No matter which direction one attempted to reach this particular tower, the last leg of the journey to the offices and classrooms that resided here consisted of a disturbingly narrow staircase that ran spirally clockwise along the outer wall, with a thin and discomforting iron rail being all that separated the ascending and descending students from falling down the hollow interior. If one stood at the top and peered over the railing, down through the center of the tower, they could see just how far they would fall if they should tumble over – all the way to the cold stone floor several stories down.

For Shaletar, who could barely command a broom to rise to his hand with his fear of heights, making this trip every week to attend class was nerve-wracking on two good legs. With one leg lamed and his balance, and stamina, compromised, DADA was proving to be his most hated class of the year. So, understandably, he scowled when he realized where Bobby was taking him.

He barely had time to protest before Bobby had dragged him into the center of the tower's ground floor, and positioned him with a few minor tugs and nudges, still smiling smugly. "Bobby, what on earth are you-hey, cut it-" A heavy sigh – "Bobby!"

"Patience, my fuzzy one, all will be revealed," the American drawled, tweaking Shaletar's standing position a little bit more, then stepping back and smiling. "Okay, so, I had this thought running around in my head for a couple months, and I started wondering stuff about stuff." He started pacing in front of, beside, around Shaletar as he talked, gesturing broadly.

Shaletar, who had gotten used to Bobby's odd tangents, sighed, crossed his arms across his chest, and rested his weight on his good leg, waiting for the other boy to continue. At this, he earned another bright smile.

"It kinda started back a while, when you were laid up, missing classes and stuff, remember, and then I had to help you up and down all these stupid stairs. And I was wondering, because I'm sure there've been other times, or at least hypothetical times, where a student's had trouble on these sort of steps. I mean, who wouldn't put in redundancy features? Muggles use them all the time, and the magical world is way lazier than those guys! Y'get what I'm saying?"

"Frankly, no," the werewolf replied, watching Bobby with a puzzled expression. "Nouns, Bobby. Nouns and descriptors are our friends."

Bobby sighed, giving his friend an exasperated look, and pulled his wand from his back pocket. "Fine. _Elevatas!_ " He swirled the tip in a tight loop, emitting a brief golden glow.

Nothing happened.

Shaletar raised an eyebrow. "Was that supposed to do-HEY!"

The floor beneath them shuddered, shook, and jolted. Shaletar lost his balance and clung to Bobby, staring wide-eyed as they began to rise. The students who had paused on the stairwell to eavesdrop on the two boys gaped, dumbfounded, as the platform levitated towards the top floor of the tower. Bobby, meanwhile, was grinning like a loon.

" _Robert, what did you DO?_ "

Bobby crowed like a jackdaw. "I found the elevator!"


End file.
